The Proton e.MAS 5 is the most affordable electric car Malaysians can buy today. The nation held with bated breath when Perodua launched the QV-E, but alas that was not to be a direct competitor to the e.MAS 5. Now the e.MAS 5 stands alone and it is not just the price that makes it
The Proton e.MAS 5 is the most affordable electric car Malaysians can buy today. The nation held with bated breath when Perodua launched the QV-E, but alas that was not to be a direct competitor to the e.MAS 5.
Now the e.MAS 5 stands alone and it is not just the price that makes it popular.
The e.MAS 5 pricing has of course made many stand up and take notice, to the point of even tempting the EV fence sitters to the charged side. Nonetheless, the price tag is just one of the many reasons it has made a name for itself.
The e.MAS 5 might be a small, cutesy compact, but it is shockingly big on space inside. In fact, take a seat at the back and you might wonder if it is more spacious than the likes of a Honda City Hatchback, Toyota Vios or a Perodua Myvi.
The same feeling is reciprocated in the front as well, where even taller drivers can easily get comfortable.
The small diameter steering wheel ensures your knees don’t rub against the sides while the centre console is just the right size, not too wide and not too high where it takes up legroom.
It is even ideal for parents with young toddlers who need multitudes of storage spots all around the car. The e.MAS 5 has 32 different storage spots all around the car, I am sure that has to be a record of some sort.
The e.MAS 5 does not just offer sitting and storage space, it offers practical space. Like a 70-litre frunk up ahead, one of the biggest among any EV in Malaysia and incredibly useful for everything from durians to smelly gym clothes and even to hide things away from prying eyes.
Then there is the 375-litre boot space that expands into a cavernous 1,320 litres, big enough for the all-important Ikea runs and such.
Interestingly, there’s even a 20-litre under seat storage compartment as well.
Interior look and feel.
At first glance, the interior of the e.MAS 5 may seem like a typical EV with a big screen at the centre and not much else.
But spend some time to look, poke and prod around, and you will notice the finer details.
Quality is good all-around and there are even physical buttons for the essential air-conditioning controls.
Even the tiny gear knob feels good in your hand and has a good feel when you select gears. The park gear though is selected via a dedicated button.
There’s plenty of tech and it is all designed to keep you safe, entertained and comfortable.
Inside you get a 14.6-inch infotainment system that works as the command centre of the car. It also gives you access to wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
The operating system is by local outfit Atlas Auto, and it gives you features like remote start, and you can even check on the status of the car via the Proton e.MAS mobile application, the latter being a must have feature in any EV these days.
On the topic of digital screens, and as you would expect, the instrument cluster is fully digital and measures in at 8.8-inches.
The Atlas Auto operating system also features an advanced voice command system that is able to recognise both English and Bahasa Melayu (BM). The e.MAS 5 is one of the only EV’s in Malaysia that is able to recognise voice commands in Bahasa Melayu.
And if you are the outdoorsy type, you may also appreciate the Vehicle 2 Load (V2L) feature that allows you to power up appliances such as a fan while you are outdoors.
Powertrain and driveability.
This is where things get interesting for the Proton e.MAS 5. It features a single rear-mounted electric motor that effectively makes it a rear-wheel-drive car.
In charge of providing juice to the motors are two different battery sizes provided by CATL. The flagship Premium variant has a bigger 40.16kWh LFP battery that provides 325km of range on the WLTP cycle.
The Prime variant on the other hand has a smaller 30.12kWh LFP battery that gives a 225km range on the WLTP cycle.
As for charging, the Premium can take 71kW of DC charging while the Prime takes 53kW. Both variants will take 21 minutes to recharge from 30 to 80%.
As for AC charging, both variants take 6.6kW with the Prime needing 4.3 hours to go from 10 to 100% and 5.9 hours to recharge from 10 to 100%.
This may not sound like a big deal for most people, but the motor placed at the rear of the car gives it better handling than most front-wheel-drive EV’s. This is because the front wheels need only focus on steering the car rather than providing power and steering as well.
And providing better control and handling is the unique suspension system. Well, it is not quite unique but more of a rarity at this price range.
The front of the car is managed by MacPherson Strut suspension while the rear is kept in check by multi-link suspension. This set-up is usually found in more expensive cars and is identical to the suspension in the Proton e.MAS 7.
Some of the benefits of a multi-link suspension include better comfort as compared to a torsion beam suspension, which is more commonly found in this price category.
And because the rear wheels are able to move independently of each other, you also get better control as well.
Safety is also improved as a multi-link suspension ensures that one wheel always grips the road in tight corners. A torsion beam is more susceptible to “three-wheeling” or “tri-podding”, and that can be dangerous on regular roads as it reduces grip.
Impressive safety systems.
An armada of passive and active safety systems work in unison to keep occupants safe. For example, the e.MAS 5 features the best-in-class braking distance. It can decelerate from 100km/h to zero in just 36.9 meters.
Besides that it also offers six airbags, anti-roll, and even something called G-Traction Control System that cuts power to the wheels when the system detects possible wheel slip.
Besides that, the e.MAS 5 has about a dozen advance driver assistance systems that makes everyday life behind the wheel a lot safer. Systems like adaptive cruise control makes driving in traffic a lot simpler while forward collision warning and rear cross traffic alert helps the driver avoid unpleasant situations.
A special mention of the 360 camera with 3D display is a must as it makes navigating tight spots a breeze.
Driving impression.
Because the car is small, driving in traffic and parking almost anywhere is not a problem. But what I really like about the e.MAS 5 is its refinement levels.
The interior remains largely silent in almost all road conditions, lending the car a premium feel you usually get in more expensive cars.
Performance is decent too, with instant acceleration and a top speed of about 130km/h. You really don’t need a higher top speed as the e.MAS 5 is developed for urban environments and that is where it feels most alive.
Who is the Proton e.MAS 5 for?
It is ideal for just about anyone who needs a daily runabout car that is spacious yet carefree in nature.
It is incredibly simple to drive and with a decent range, it suits the lifestyle of anyone driving about 30-60km a day. Or perhaps even more.
If that is your daily drive distance, you can then live with recharging the e.MAS 5 once or twice a week.
With a price tag that starts from just RM56,800, the e.MAS 5 is also ideal for those just starting out in life and wants to keep their expenditure down as charging the car can be cheaper than petrol in most situations.
So all in all, the Proton e.MAS 5 suits just about anyone.